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L; 'M'OMURRAY. APPARATUS FOR ELEGTROPLATING.

No. 393,170. Patented Nov; 20, 1888.

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LOUIS MOMURRAY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING.

$PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,170, dated November 20, 1888,

Application filed March 1, 1887. Serial No. 229,270. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS MOMURRAY, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatuses for Electroplating, of which the following is a full description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the apparatus, of whic Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus with bath at one end and drying device at the other; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view showing interior of the electroplating apparatus. Fig. 3 is a view of the anodes, which lie at the bottom of the box containing the solution. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the electroplating apparatus, showing the endless carrier and the cans entering and leaving the solution. Fig. 5 is a plan or top view of the electroplating apparatus.

The object of the invention, primarily, is for the purpose of electroplating metallic cans, such as are well known in the market as containing provisions or alimentary substances, and electroplating the exterior thereof after the same have been filled, sealed, and processed; but the apparatus may be used equally well for plating articles of any form or shape, and the description of the apparatus and its mode of operation contemplates the device as employed to electroplate such cans, but it may be readily used for plating other things adapted to be coated.

The cans are first polished, and an apparatus for polishing them is described in an application for Letters Patent of even date herewith, and when so polished they are placed in the bath-tub A, to the left, and from thence placed upon a carrier which carries them through the electroplating-solution, and are thence delivered to the drying device on the right.

B is a frame-work, which supports a watertight box, B. Within this box is placed a solution of the metal with which it is designed to plate the can or other article. This solution is prepared in the ordinary way, and may be of gold, silver, nickel, or other electroplating-solution as known and used in the trade. The surface-line of the solution is indicated at b, Fig. 2. Two binding-posts are shown in the drawings, Fig. 2, marked and respectively, which lead to and form a circuit through a battery or dynamo. (Not shown in the drawings.) The side walls of the box B have upon their upper. edges a strip of metal or other conducting material connected with the binding-post. Across the top of the box and upon these conductors are laid the metal rods b, to which are suspended the electrodes marked of the material of which the plating is to be made, so as to hang within the solution. At the bottom of the solution, also within the box, are laid other positive electrodes, also marked and composed of the same material. These positive electrodes are connected together and lead to the positive pole of the battery or dynamo. They may be laid in rows, if desired, and as many as are necessary. The electrodes marked are the anodes. Within the box, upon or near its side walls, are constructed the tracks I). These tracks are made of metal or other good conducting material and are connected with the negative pole of the battery. They serve the double purpose of conductor, and at the same time guides to direct the carrier (hereinafter described) and are located at a suitable place between the top and bottom positive electrodes.

Upon a suitable part of the frame-work of the apparatus is journaled the shaft 0, which carries the driving-pulley c, operated by the belt a". The shaft 0 also carries a sprocketwheel, around which is placed the chain 0 Upon another shaft, 0, suitably journalcd, is a sprocket-wheel, c of larger diameter than that on the shaft 0, and this sprocket-wheel is driven by the chain 0 Another sprocketwheel upon the shaft 0 drives the sprocketwheel a on the shaft 0. This latter is journaled in the frame-work and runs across the end of the machine. It also carries sprocketwheels which .mesh with and operate an endlesschain carrier, D. The arrangement of shafts O c c are for the purpose of. giving a slow motion to the carrier D. Any other arrangement which accomplishes this purpose would answer as well.

The carrier D is composed of chains, two or more, to the links of which are secured crosswise of the machine plates or strips of conducting material d. The lengths of these plates or strips are adjusted, so that their ends will enter the track b* and be guided thereby in passing through the solution. As this track b is in connection with the negative pole of the battery it follows that these cross-strips are also in connection therewith, as they are in contact with the track from the time they enter the solution until they pass out at the other end. Secured to these strips and perpendicular thereto are the upright pieces d, which may be made firm by the braces (1 The cans to be plated are placed upon the carrier in rows between the uprights d. As movement is imparted to the carrier the cans move with it and are kept in place by those uprights. It follows from this description that the plates of material from which the deposit is mademarked in the drawings-form the anodes and the cans to be plated the cathodes. The cans filled with the provisions have usually a specific gravity about or nearly equal to that of the solution, and might be easily disturbed or floated. I have therefore provided a means for keeping them in position and in contact with the cross-strips.

Upon suitable uprights, I), attached to the frame-work of the niachine,areplaced the crossbars I). From these cross-bars are suspended the small rods or wires b To the lower end of these rods or arms are attached the tubes 19, made of rubber or other pliable material. which will not injure the cans. These tubes are filled with shot to sink them and cause them to bear upon the cans as they pass through the solution. The cans are thus kept, without injury to their surfaces, in contact with the carrier, and as they pass they receive the deposit from the solution and become well coated in passing. From this carrier they are delivered into the sawdust-box F, where they are dried.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an electroplating apparatus,a box containing an electroplating-solution, in combination with an endless eonveyer arranged to pass horizontally through the solution, and provided on its upper side with supports for holding loosely the article to be plated, means for imparting movement to the eonveyer through the solution, and means for connecting the eonveyer and article to be plated with an electrical generator.

2. In an electroplating apparatus, a box containing a solution of an electroplating mate rial, in combination with an endless eonveyer consisting of one or more linked chains, the eonveyer arranged to passhorizontally through the liquid, and provided on its upper side with supports, as d, secured to the links of the conveycr, means for imparting motion to the convcyer through the solution,and means for connecting the eonveyer and article to be plated with an electrical generator.

3. In an electroplating apparatus, a box containing a solution of an electroplating material, an anode of the same material immersed in the solution, and connected with an electrical generator, in combination with an endless eonveyer, means for retaining a free or detached cathode upon the eonveyer, and means for connecting the cathode and eonveyer with an electrical generator.

4L. In an electroplating apparatus, a box containing a solution of an electroplating material,in combination with an endless eonveyer, means for moving the eonveyer through the sol ution,1neans supported in the solution above the eonveyer to hold the article to be plated in contact with the eonveyer, and means for connecting the eonveyer with an electrical generator.

LOUIS McllilURRAY.

Witnesses:

MILTON O. SrIcKNALL, ROBERT YARRO'W. 

